Lazio fans carried out their threat to boycott the home Serie A match against Atalanta in protest at club president Claudio Lotito on Sunday, leaving their team to play in a near-deserted Stadio Olimpico.

Coach Edoardo Reja called for the supporters to settle their differences with Lotito after his team slumped to a 1-0 defeat in the mid-table battle.

'It's a real shame to see the Olimpico deserted,' Reja told reporters. 'We were in with a chance of achieving something significant but it's difficult to play in these conditions.

Boycott: The Stadio Olimpico was almost empty after Lazio fans held a boycott against Atalanta

'We didn't play as well as we've done recently,' he added. 'This situation can't go on, it's a disadvantage for us as we've seen today.'

'We need them to come together, the two sides need to give some ground.'

One banner, which fans draped over the seats, read 'it's him or us' while another said 'Lazio is ours and we will leave it to our children.'

The supporters, led by the ultras who usually occupy the Curva Nord, have been protesting against Lotito on and off since the start of the season.

They boycotted the opening 15 minutes of a match in September in protest at the club's perceived lack of activity in the close season transfer window.

Their anger grew in January when Brazilian playmaker Hernanes was sold to Inter Milan where he has made an immediate impact.

On target: Maximilano Moralez is mobbed by team-mates after his goal

Around 40,000 fans took part in a protest march before last month's 3-2 win against Sassuolo where more banners were displayed protesting against Lotito.

The ultras' attitude towards Lotito has been frosty ever since he bought the club in 2004 and is in stark contrast to their extremely cosy relationship with free-spending predecessor Sergio Cragnotti.

Lazio won seven trophies under Cragnotti including the Serie A title and the old European Cup Winners Cup.

Struggling: Lazio are all the way down in 8th place - the fans were protesting against club president Claudio Lotito

Lotito controversially fired Vladimir Petkovic in January after the Bosnia-born coach signed a deal just before Christmas to take charge of the Swiss national side from next season.

The dismissal was preceded by a week of chaos when Reja took charge of training sessions while Petkovic said he still considered himself to be coach.

Lazio, who have won five out of 10 games since Reja took charge, stayed eighth after Sunday's defeat with 38 points but have now dropped six behind Inter Milan who are fifth and in the lowest Europa League qualifying place.